Hamas: Latest Shalit Video Was Fabricated

A video which appeared in the Israeli press Monday and attributed to Hamas “was fabricated and false,” officials with the party’s armed wing said today. The video showed captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit flanked by two armed men, one who unpacks papers from a briefcase. It ends with a caption reading “Will the mission be completed” as gunshots are heard.”We have nothing to do with this video,” a statement from Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades said explaining that no video had been prepared or released and adding that whatever appeared on YouTube was a fake.

While the Israeli news site Ynet said the video was released by Hamas, the user who posted the video claimed no official relation with the party. It was not clear why the Israeli media linked the video with Hamas.

On 25 April, a cartoon aired on Al-Aqsa TV and a Hamas website. It contained a voice-over that sounded much like earlier recordings of the soldier, in some cases repeating phrases he used in the last recorded video message to his family and country.

An actual video of Shalit was released to his family on 10 February in exchange for the release of 20 female prisoners to their families in the West Bank and Gaza.